Air compressor and intercooler.



Patented May 6, I902.

' w. B. COWLES.

AIR COMPRESSOR AND INTERCOOLER.

A (Annlication filed Aug. 18, 19014) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

' (No Model.)

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attvmmfi 4 THE NORRIS "5'5""? 2U UYQUTNO WASHIN TON, Dv C m. 699,288. Patented May 6', I902. w. B. COWLES.

AIR COMPRESSOR AND INTERCOOLER.

(Application filed Aug. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNiTED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

7 WVILIiIAM BARNUM COYVLES, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AIR COMPRESSOR AND INTERCOOLE R.

SPEGiEIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,288, dated May 6, 1902. Application filed August 16, 1901. Serial No. 72,529. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM BARNUM COWLEs,.a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Compressors and Intercoolers; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to What is termed by' closing bulkhead-doors and hatches on board ship, in which'compressed air is' storedup'at' high pressure in strong flasks and is then supplied at a reduced pressure to the mechanism for operatingthe doors or hatches;

ters throughout the views. I

Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus;

and Fig.2 is a diagram, partly in elevation and partly in section. V w

A, A, and A are the three cylinders arranged in series to compress the air in three steps. Thelargest cylinder A draws in air from the atmosphere through the inlet A and forces the same into the'pipe B, whence it onters the coil 0 in the tank G. From this coil the partly-compressed air returns through the pipe 13 to the cylinder A, where after being further compressed it is delivered to the pipe" It Will be seen that the cylinders A, A, and

A? and the pipes leading therefrom and also the coils C, C, and C are graded in size to correspond to the decrease of volume of the.

airdue to the compression.

E and E are two reducing-valves in the path of the air under pressure from the pipe 3 to .the supply-pipe E, which supply-pipe opensinto the large coil H, connected to the air-pressure main K. 'Under the ordinary working pressure air passes through the two reducing-valves E and E, entering the pipe F and passing to the fluid-pressure main K; but in order to provide for the admission of air to the air-pressure main at an increased or emergency pressure I provide a by-pass pipe N, which is opened by the valve M, controlled by the emergency-leverim, so that when this valve M is opened the compressed air from the pipe B passes through the reducing-valve E only, then goes through the by-pass instead of the second reducing-valve .E, so that by simply turning the hand-lever ,m the emergency'pressure is applied to the air-pressure main K." O, O,and O are pressure-gages which show the pressure in the air-flask -D, the emergency pressure,and the ordinary working pressure, respectively.

My. invention will be understood by reference'to the accompanying drawingsflnwhich the same parts are indicated by the same let The. tank G is kept supplied with water in circulation .by-m'eans of the pump Q, operated by the piston-rod g, which pump draws water through the pipe p from the tank P and delivers it through the-pipe R to the wa- (er-jackets surrounding the cylinders A, A, and A from whence it passes through the pipe S and enters the bottom 01; the'tank G. As soon as this water rises above the mouth p9 of the pipe 19 it is siphoned into the tank P, so that the-water circulates from said tank P around the cylinders .A, A, and A" into the tank G and around the coils contained therein and is finallydrawnoii from the top of said tank, returning to the'tank P. Any loss'of water due to the leakage, evaporation, &'c., maybe supplied to the tank P in any convenient way; but this loss will ordinarily be very small. r

The flasks D are ordinarily mounted in supports X, secured to any convenient bulkhead Y.

It will be seen that the air from the compressor-cylinder A is cooled in the tank G before entering the cylinder A, where it is heated again by compression, and that this further compressed air is again cooled in the tank G before passing to the cylinder A Where it is again compressed and incidentally reheated, whence it passes through the tank II to be again cooled before being delivered to the flask D. The heating up of the air incidental to compression is obviated in a measure only by the water-jackets surrounding the cylinders A, A, and A On the other hand, the compressed air passing to the pipe F on its way to the fluid-pressure main is incidentally cooled as it expands, and this, entering the coil II, is heated up by the water in the tank G, so that it finally reaches the fluidpressure main K at a moderate temperature. Thus it will be seen that in the same tank G the air being compressed is cooled and the air being expanded is warmed, the heat incident to compression being used to neutralize the loss of heat incident to expansion.

By the use of the apparatus as herein described an exceedingly compact arrangement is secured in which only a small volume of circulating water is required. This is particularlyimport'ant on board ship, where it is desirable to cut down the Weights as much as possible and at the same time to save as much space as practicable. Moreover, the small quantity of water required will render it practicable to use fresh water for the circulating system, thus preventing the corrosive effects of salt waterordinarily used on ocean-steamers for like purposes.

The number of the compressor-cylinders and corresponding coils in the tank G may be varied at will, as also may the number of flasks D and the number and arrangement of reducing-valves E and E. Horeover, various other changes might be made in the hereindescribed apparatus and in the details thereof which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a heating and cooling tank, a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank, and means for carrying off air from said reservoir at a reduced pressure including a heating-coil in said tank, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a heating and cooling tank, a reservoir forcompresscd air,means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank, and means for carrying 0% air from said reservoir including one or more reducing-valves, and a heating-coil, beyond said reducing valve or valves, located in said tank and connected to the fluid-pressure main, substantially as de scribed.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a heating and cooling tank,a reservoir for com pressed air, means forsupplying compressed air to s; id reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank, means for carrying off said compressed air, including two reducing-valves, a by-pass for one oif said reducing valve's, means for controlling said by-pass by hand, a heating-coil located in said tank, and a fluid-pressure main receiving the air from said heating-coil, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinationot a tank and means for circulating watertherethrough, of a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank, and means for carrying 01f air from said reservoir at a reduced pressure including a heating-coil in said tank, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination ofa tank and means for circulating water therethrough, of a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank, and means for carrying elf air from said reservoir including one or more reducing-valves, and a heatingcoil, beyond said reducing valve or valves, located in said tank and connected to the fluidpressure main, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank and means for circulating water therethrough, of a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed air tosaid reservoir including a cooling-coil in said tank,means for carrying oit said compressed air, including two reducing-valves, a bypass for one of said reducing-valves, means for controlling said bypass by hand, a heating-coil located in said tank, and a fluid-pressure main receiving the air from said heating-coil, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a heating and coolin g tank,a reservoir for compressed air,means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir comprising a compressor-cylinder with a water-j acket therefor, a cooling-coil in said tank, means for carrying off air from said reservoir at a reduced pressure including a heatingcoil in said tank, and means for circulating Water through said tank and said jacket, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank, a reservoir for compressed air, and a fluid-pressure main, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir comprising a compressor-cylinder with a water-jacket therefor, a cooling-coil in said tank, means for carrying off air from said reservoir including one or more reducing-yalves, and a heating-coil located in said tank and connected to said reservoir and to the fluid-pressure main, and means for circulating water through said tank and said jacket, substantially as described.

9'.'In an apparatus of the character described, the combination-of a tank, a resering-coil located in said tank, afluid-pressuremain receiving air from said heating-coil, and

means for circulating water through said tank and said. jacket, substantially as described.-

10. In an apparatus of the character described, thecombinationof a tank and means for'circulatingwater therethrough, of a reservoirfor compressed air, means forsupplying compressed air to said reservoir comprising'a plurality of'air-compressor cylinders, a plurality of cooling-coilsin said tank, and means for carryingofi air from said reservoir at a reducedpressure including a, heating-coil in said tank, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinationofatank and means for circulating Water therethrough, of a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir comprising a plurality of air-compressorcylinders, a plurality ofcooling-coils in said tank, and means for carrying off air from said reservoir includingone or more reducing-valves, and a heating-coil located in said tank and con nected to the fiuidpi'essure main, substant-ially as described. v

12. In an apparatus ofthe' character described, the combination of a tank, and means for circulating water therethrough, of a reservoir for compressed air,,means for supplying compressed air tosaid reservoir comprising a plurality of air-compressorcylinders, a plurality of cooling-coils in said tank, means for carrying off said compressed air, including tworeducing-valves, aby-pass'ifor one of said red ucin g-valves,mea ns for controlling said bypass by hand, a heating-coil located in'said tank, and a fluid-pressure main receiving the air from said heating-coil, substantially as described. 5 5

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank, a reservoir for compressed air, means for supplying compressed airto said reservoir comprising aplurality of compressercylinders with waterjackets therefor, and cooling-coils'in saidtank connected to said'c'ylinders, means for carrying offairfrom saidreservoir at a reduced pressure including a heating-coil in said tank, and means for circulating water throughsai d tank and said jackets, substantially'as described.

, 14. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tank, areservoir for com pressed air, means for supplying compressed air to said reservoir comprising a plurality of compressor-cylinders with Waterjackets therefor, and cooling-coils in said tank connected to said cylinders, means for carrying off air from said reservoirincludin'g one or more reducing-valves, and a heating-coil located in said tank and connected to the "fluidpressure main, and means forcirculatiii'g Water through said tank and said jacket, substantially as described. f

In testimony whereof I a ffixrn y signature in presence'of two witnesses. V WILLIAM BARNUM COVVLES.

,Witnesses: i CHAS. J. Mn'rz,

,R. H. MCCREABY. 

